2311 Lake Tahoe Blvd, Ste 4; South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 jessica@soliacupuncture.com (530) 600-3963

Jessica Cerasoli, L.Ac., RN

My personal experience with complementary medicine began at a very young age. One of my fondest childhood memories is the smell and experience when going to see the herbalist. As a child I developed earaches and eczema in which through working with an herbalist they were managed with dietary modifications. This was my first experience that highlighted the connection between nutritional choices and my physical well-being.  

The above experience left me curious to know how it was that what I put into my body would ultimately have an effect on my physical and emotional wellbeing. I soon enrolled in and anatomy and physiology course and was in complete awe. The more I learn the greater my desire to share my knowledge with others. This sparked my interest in working in health care.  

I decided to begin my training as a nurse. I received my bachelors of Science degree in nursing (BSN) from Orvis School of Nursing at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).  I worked at Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, NV on the general surgical unit before returning home and working with my community at Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe, CA, on the medical/surgical and orthopedic units. 

This was a very exciting time and it was also a very stressful time in my life. I had made it through my nursing program and I was a nurse! The pace that I had been going at combined with prolonged emotional and physical stress eventually came to a head and started to affect my daily life and my ability to work and to do the things that I wanted to. Looking back, I was a product of our modern society; I was burning the candle at both ends and this was the way my body was responding. I had burned through my reserves, which effected my ability to manage daily stressors. I experienced this most noticeably as anxiety and panic that seemed to be triggered for no reason and with frequency. This is when I discovered acupuncture. It was extremely helpful in rebuilding and resetting/calming my nervous system and assisting me in peeling back the layers and addressing the root of this pattern I was stuck in. This was absolutely a life changing experience and I was able to see the light again and know that I would not always feel this way and there were things that I could do to create a different experience. I almost immediately knew I wanted to return to school and practice Chinese medicine. 

I returned to school and graduated from Five Branches University in Santa Cruz, CA, where I received my Master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine (MTCM) and became a licensed Acupuncturist. I receive a sports medicine certificate at Five Branches and have spent much of my post graduate training focused on Integrative sports medicine and orthopedics with emphasis on pain management. More recently I have become a member of Acupuncturist Without Borders (AWB) and have been trained in providing trauma informed care and anticipate continuing to expand my knowledge and experience in this area.